College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Forestry

Community Forester-WCCD

Hiring Organization: Washtenaw County Conservation District
Employment type: Full-Time
Job Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan; Remote; Field
Application Due Date: July 22, 2024

POSITION
As the Washtenaw County Conservation District’s (WCCD) Community Forester (CF), you will play a pivotal role in promoting urban and community forestry initiatives aimed at enhancing the environmental health and social well-being of our community. This position blends expertise in forestry and native habitats with a passion for community engagement, fostering sustainable practices, and advocating for protection of remnant woodlots and urban forests. The CF will develop countywide efforts to increase native tree and forb planting and maintenance as well as pursue grants to support this work. The CF will bring a forester’s perspective and background to all the work we do and must be comfortable providing one-on-one guidance as well as presenting to and leading large groups.

RELATIONSHIPS
Reports to: Executive Director
Supervises: Farmer Program Outreach Coordinator, Intern, Advisory Committee
Works with: All WCCD staff
External Stakeholders: MDARD’s Forestry Assistance Program, MDNR, Washtenaw County, HRWC, RRWC, Legacy Land Conservancy, Ann Arbor Greenbelt, Township Supervisors, Michigan Agroforestry Working Group, Michigan Forest Association, A2Zero, JLW CISMA, etc.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
An employee in this position may be called upon to do any or all of the following essential functions. These examples do not include all of the duties which the employee may be expected to perform. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily.

Technical Assistance (20%)

 Answer one-on-one resident and municipal questions and connect with resources to address concerns; track time spent and deliverables on any assistance offered.
 Ensure that sufficient educational materials and resources are provided to residents at distributions and events based on tree, shrub and plant species provided.
 Update, source and/or create new tree and habitat related educational resources and guides (hard copy and digital) for both community and agricultural audiences.
 Ensure contractor lists are updated and maintained, new lists created as needed.
 Assist Resource Coordinator with selection of species for resource distributions.
 Assist MAEAP Technician in the development of Forest, Wetland and Habitat (FWH) plans for verification, including site visits and report writing.
 Assist with GIS analysis and mapping for WCCD programs as requested.

Programming and Events (35%)

 Plan, coordinate, execute community focused workshops, seminars in partnership with staff and partners.
 Develop post-event surveys for community focused workshops, compile results from workshops.
 Track deliverables for all community focused events.
 Coordinate the School & Community Habitat Grant program with support from staff.
 Plan for, coordinate and execute programming and tools around land preservation.
 Assist with other programs and events as needed (annual meeting, sales distributions, etc.).
 Prepare and submit grant reports as needed (e.g. Forest to MiFaucet, etc).

Supervision and Program Oversight (20%)
 Seasonal Intern (as funding allows)
 Finalize the position role and responsibilities with assistance from the Executive Director.
 Take lead on the interview and selection process.
 Provide direct supervision for intern and monitor activities and program deliverables.
 Provide final report on internship deliverables and successes.
 Farmer Programs Outreach Coordinator
 Provide direct supervision and monitor program deliverables.
 Advisory Committee
 Work with partners and staff to recruit foresters to serve on committee.
 Manage schedule for and facilitate quarterly committee meetings.
 Provide ongoing support to committee members.
 Provide updates to Executive Director on suggestions and needs of the committee.

Research & Program Development (10%)
 Assist with grant database, grant research and proposal drafts as needed.
 Take lead on the development of the Michigan Agroforestry Working Group.
5. Partnerships (5%)
 Participate in partner meetings and steering committees as a representative of WCCD: JLW CISMA, A2 Zero, HRWC and others.
 Run to represent Washtenaw on the Michigan Forest Association board.
6. Training (5%)
 Commit to ongoing professional development through the Employee Development Plan (EDP).
 Complete all training required to successfully serve as the Community Forester.

General WCCD (5%)
 Provide content for the monthly newsletter, monthly board report, occasionally attend monthly board meetings.
 Assist with WCCD annual and long-term planning.
 Meet with Executive Director for quarterly and annual check-ins.

QUALIFICATIONS AND ABILITIES
The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, abilities, and minimum qualifications necessary to perform the essential functions of the position. These requirements may be accommodated for otherwise qualified individuals requiring and requesting such accommodations.
 A bachelor’s degree in forestry or a related field and a minimum of 3 years of experience in forestry, natural resources, and/or agriculture. Preferred candidates will have a master’s degree in forestry or a related field and credentials such as ISA Arborist, Certified Forester through SAF, MI Registered Forester, etc.
 Extensive knowledge of native plants and native ecosystems of Washtenaw County and a personal interest in conservation and/or agriculture. Preferred candidates have experience with silviculture and agroforestry.
 Organized, self-starter with ability to manage competing priorities and workload.
 Proficient written and verbal communication skills, including a willingness to engage in 1:1 conversation in-person and via phone as well as plan and facilitate committees and public presentations.
 Excellent computer skills are required, especially MS Office Suite. Familiarity with ArcGIS is preferred. Experience with any of the following programs is helpful: Zoom, Canva, Toggl, Asana, Weebly, Drupal, Adobe Premiere Pro (video editing software), Shopify, myturn.com
 Ability to learn quickly, problem solve creatively, ask questions, and seek clarification.
 Comfortable working both independently, as well as cooperatively with District staff, other agencies, and partners.
 Must maintain a valid driver’s license.
 Must be able to pass a background security check.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT
The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the job. These requirements may be accommodated for otherwise qualified individuals requiring and requesting such accommodations.
 While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear, stand, walk; use hands; reach with arms; lift and/or move items of light to heavy weights (up to 50 pounds). The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
 Semi-regular fieldwork is required, with potential exposure to heat, cold, inclement weather, stinging and biting insects, rash inducing plants, uneven terrain, moving mechanical parts and/or machinery, and loud noises.
 Ability to work in-person at the office to assist with answering calls and walk-ins from the public as well as capacity to work remotely (strong internet connection, quiet workspace, self-discipline, etc.).

 

SALARY, BENEFITS, WORK HOURS, LOCATION
Anticipated start date is 8/12/2024 with travel to a training the first week. This position will be based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Work time will generally be split between the main WCCD office, remote (home) work, and field work. The WCCD office is located at the Washtenaw County Service Building at 705 N. Zeeb Rd, #201, Ann Arbor 48103.

This is a full time, FLSA exempt, salary position. Annual starting range between $50,800-66,500, commensurate with experience and credentials. As a full-time, exempt employee, the CF is entitled to the WCCD’s benefits package, which includes full medical insurance (includes dental, vision, other ancillary benefits) or ability to waive this benefit and take as a taxable cash payment, 13 paid vacation days, 13 paid sick days, 11 paid federal holidays, and 2.5 hours of flextime per week. Other benefits as described in the Employee Handbook.

Typical work hours will be Monday-Friday, 8:00am – 4:30pm. However, evening and weekend work will be necessary to meet residents and partners in-person, including at events, meetings, and conferences.
ABOUT US

The WCCD is a local government agency and has played a significant role in assisting residents and landowners with access to trees, plants, and conservation tools in Washtenaw County since 1948. Our mission is to assist residents with the conservation, management, and wise use of natural resources in Washtenaw County. Since 1951 the WCCD has distributed over 7.1 million trees, shrubs, and native plants for various conservation purposes. To obtain further information about the WCCD visit our website at www.washtenawcd.org.

TO APPLY
Please submit a cover letter, resume, and two professional references by email to Executive Director, Summer Roberts (summer@washtenawcd.org), by 8 a.m. on Monday, July 22nd. However, applications may be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Please combine all application materials into one PDF file for review and state “Application – WCCD Community Forester” in the email subject line. Contact us at the above email address with questions related to the position.

The Washtenaw County Conservation District is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, military service, disability or other non-merit factor.